Strategic Plan | DEI 1.0 Summary Report

Strategic Plan

In 2015, when university leadership called upon the campus community to create a five-year strategic plan focused on the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, a framework was developed to support and implement that plan across the university. Key elements included the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (ODEI), foundational programs, leadership, infrastructure and a reporting process.

DEI 1.0 Retrospective

The DEI Strategic Plan initiative is unique given its simultaneous activation of a centralized and distributive planning process that engages 50 units throughout the Ann Arbor campus. The plan consists of 50 unit-based plans including all 19 schools and colleges, the medical complex (Michigan Medicine), Athletics and many other administrative units.

Our Principles

The following principles, which informed the initial yearlong strategic plan development process, have also guided our implementation of that plan, year by year.

Diversity

We commit to increasing diversity, which is expressed in myriad forms including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, language, culture, national origins, religious commitments, age, disability status and political perspective.

Equity

We commit to working actively to challenge and respond to bias, harassment and discrimination. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight or veteran status.

Inclusion

We commit to pursuing deliberate efforts to ensure that our campus is a place where differences are welcomed, where different perspectives are respectfully heard and where every individual feels a sense of belonging and inclusion. We know that by building a critical mass of diverse groups on campus and creating a vibrant climate of inclusiveness, we can more effectively leverage the resources of diversity to advance our collective capabilities.